Social Security spousal benefits with husband taking early retirement - will I get 50% or less?

Your spousal benefit will be based on your husband's Primary Insurance Amount (PIA), which is what he would have received at his full retirement age - NOT his reduced benefit. So when you reach your FRA, you'll get 50% of what he would have gotten at his FRA, regardless of when he actually claimed. However, if YOU take benefits before YOUR full retirement age, your spousal benefit will be reduced. At 62, it would be around 32.5% of his PIA instead of the full 50%. Each month you wait after 62 increases that percentage slightly until you reach your FRA.

ur gonna get 50% of his PIA (what hed get at normal age) not his reduced amt. but if U take urs early u get less too. my wife did this - she got like 35% cuz she took it at 63. check ssa.gov they got charts

I went through this exact situation last year! Your husband's early filing doesn't affect your spousal benefit amount - you'll get 50% of his PIA (his full retirement age amount) when you reach your FRA. But if you take it early, there's a separate reduction schedule for spousal benefits. At 62, it's about 65% of what you'd get at FRA (which is already only 50% of his PIA). So 65% of 50% = about 32.5% of his PIA. The SSA has a specific chart for spousal benefit reductions by age. Each month you wait after 62 increases your percentage slightly. I found it really helped to make an appointment with an SSA representative who walked me through all the calculations specific to our situation.

I struggled with this EXACT situation! Kept getting disconnected or waiting for hours on the SSA phone lines trying to figure out our benefits. I finally used a service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that got me connected to an SSA agent in about 20 minutes instead of waiting for hours. They have a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/Z-BRbJw3puU The SSA agent confirmed what others here are saying - your spousal benefit is based on your husband's PIA (what he would've gotten at full retirement age), not his reduced benefit. But you'll want to calculate carefully if you take benefits early since the reduction for spouses is different than for retirement benefits.

The whole system is DESIGNED to confuse people!!!! My husband took SS at 62 and when I tried to claim spousal benefits they gave me all kinds of wrong information. One agent told me I'd get 50% of his REDUCED benefit which is COMPLETELY WRONG but they didn't correct it until I escalated to a supervisor!!! Don't trust what the first person tells you!!! And don't even get me started on the ridiculous wait times to talk to anyone!!!

So Im confused about something with this question... if your taking care of disabled children, have you looked into SSI for them? That might help your financial situation now, before you even get to retirement age.

I think theres a special rule that if ur caring for a disabled adult child you might be able to get benefits earlier? maybe worth asking about this when u talk to SSA

One thing to consider that hasn't been mentioned yet - when your husband passes away (hopefully many years from now), you'd be eligible for survivor benefits. As a widow, you'd receive 100% of whatever your husband was receiving at his death. If he took benefits at 62 with a 30% reduction, your widow benefit would also be that reduced amount. Some couples maximize by having the higher earner delay as long as possible (to age 70) to create the largest possible survivor benefit.

my bro n sis-in-law just thru this. big headache. they had 2 go in person to ssa office cuz every time they calld they got diffrnt answers!! makes u crazy!!